2025, Vol. 7, Issue 4, Part A

Author(s): Raza Parvez and Virendra Balaji Shahare

Abstract: Widows in India face significant socio-economic challenges and vulnerabilities, including financial insecurity, social marginalization, and bureaucratic hurdles in accessing government welfare schemes. To address these issues, the Government of India has implemented the Widow Pension Scheme, providing financial assistance to eligible widows. The introduction of Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) aims to enhance transparency, reduce leakages, and ensure timely pension disbursement. However, despite these reforms, widows in urban areas, particularly in South-East Delhi, continue to face obstacles in accessing their entitlements. This study examines the efficacy of DBT in the Widow Pension Scheme with a focus on South-East Delhi, analyzing its impact on financial inclusion, the challenges in implementation, and the lived experiences of beneficiaries. The research is based on a mixed-method approach, incorporating policy analysis, primary data interpretation, and qualitative interviews with pension recipients. Key findings indicate that while DBT has improved transparency and efficiency, issues such as delayed payments, digital illiteracy, banking access barriers, and Aadhaar-related authentication failures hinder effective delivery. Additionally, the study highlights the role of intermediaries, awareness levels, and administrative efficiency in shaping the success of the scheme. By providing a detailed case study of DBT implementation in South-East Delhi, this research contributes to the broader discourse on social welfare delivery in India. The findings offer policy recommendations for improving widow pension schemes, such as simplifying eligibility criteria, enhancing digital accessibility, strengthening grievance redressal mechanisms, and leveraging community-based support networks. These insights can inform policymakers in refining welfare interventions to ensure more equitable and effective financial assistance for widows in urban India.

DOI: 10.22271/multi.2025.v7.i4a.643

Pages: 152-157 | Views: 67 | Downloads: 29

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